Agent Anna
by SnowAngel444
Summary: Anna is one of the best agents that The Guardians could ever ask for. However, her newest assignment might prove too much for her to handle. Because really, the Agent Training Manual never covered how to fake being someone's fiance. Especially when that someone is gorgeous with eyes that turn you into a stuttering mess. Elsanna AU.
1. Chapter 1

_This was supposed to be an easy extraction job. Get in, get the package, and get out._

Anna grimaced at the seventeen armed men standing around her target. She ducked behind some of the large wooden crates in the warehouse and contemplated her next move. She had three smoke bombs, four throwing knives, a zippo lighter, a tiny piece of twine, and a seven inch dagger strapped to her boot. The odds were definitely not in her favor this time.

She cursed herself for underestimating the enemy and not army herself properly for this mission. When Anna took the assignment to retrieve a rich guy's daughter, she'd expected a group of thugs, not a whole crime syndicate.

She was just about to slip away and make her retreat when she heard the large doors across the warehouse open. _Great, more of them show up._

"Look alive worms!" one of them shouted, "It's the Boss!"

Anna peeked over the crates to get a glimpse of the "Boss". After all, if she was going to go back empty-handed, she could at least get some valuable intel.

The man was tall, with big meaty arms and a stupid ponytail of black hair. He strode over to the chair where her rescue target was tied up. Poor thing.

Her target's name was Belle Du Franc, age 17. The girl was about 167cm tall, had brown hair, hazel eyes, and a usually wore a ponytail with a light blue ribbon. From the pictures in her file, Anna had seen that the girl was quite pretty.

And apparently she was a total genius too. Belle Du Franc was the daughter of a brilliant scientist and inventor, Maurice Du Franc. He owned a huge conglomerate of technology suppliers and biomedical research facilities. His intelligence bordered on madness, so the rumors went.

It was no surprise when Belle had graduated high school at the age of fourteen, fluent in seventeen languages. She was currently going to a world renowned university for PhDs in several fields of both science and technology. In her file, there were interviews from her classmates calling her a 'stuck up bookworm'. Anna didn't really know what to make of that.

"So, sweetheart, are you going to tell us where it is?" The Boss questioned, placing a hand on the back of the girl's chair. Anna moved a bit so she could see better, careful to remain hidden. A strange smell caught her nose. _Was that oranges? No, lemons. Maybe grapefruits?_

Belle stared him down, and Anna couldn't help but silently admire the girl's tenacity. "You must be more specific with your questioning." She answered him calmly.

The Boss narrowed his eyes at her, moving his face closer to hers in a silent threat. "Do not make me ask again." He growled.

Belle just leaned back slightly, her gaze unwavering. "Then do not ask again, it makes no difference to me." Anna smiled a little bit at that. The girl had guts, and a sharp tongue to match.

The imposing man sputtered and straightened. "Are you mocking me?!" he demanded, clearly affronted with the mere idea of opposition, "Do you know who you're dealing with?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "You're a criminal, obviously," she stated, "And a simpleton to boot." She added that last part with a challenging smirk.

"That's it! I don't care what my orders are!" he roared, stomping his foot, "Untie her so I can teach the bitch a lesson!"

As the men moved to obey his commands, Anna realized that she would not be retreating from this situation. There was no way she was going to run away while thugs harmed an innocent young woman. She had to act fast.

_C'mon Anna, think of a plan!_ The redhead's brain raced with possible scenarios, her eyes scanning the warehouse for possible items she could use to her advantage.

As the armed crew worked to untie Belle, and The Boss fumed angrily while he waited, Anna once again smelled the scent of oranges. She couldn't figure out why she was smelling citrus in a dingy old warehouse full of rusty tin barrels and old wooden crates.

Suddenly it all clicked. _Those barrels are full of citrus oil. This must be a warehouse for cooking supplies or something._

Her eyes scanned over the large tin barrels, a plan quickly forming in her head. Anna took out her smoke bombs, weaving her piece of twine around the fuses and placing them near the barrels. _This should get their attention._

She quickly lit the twine with her lighter and slunk across the warehouse behind the cover of crates. She caught Belle's eyes as the girl was being untied and winked at her with a finger placed to her lips. _Just sit tight, okay?_ The brunette nodded imperceptibly before her jaw was grabbed by the angry boss guy.

"Listen up, you snarky bitch," he growled in her face, "I am Gaston, the head hauncho around here, and no one mouths off to me without—" the man was cut off by the hissing of the smoke bombs as they began to release their dark green gases.

Murmurs broke out among the men.

"What was that noise?"

"Look! There's green smoke over there."

"What's causing it?"

They edged closer to the billowing cloud, as per Anna's plan. The redhead took out her throwing knives, and hopped up to a higher crate for a better shot. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the blades drilling into the barrels near the smoke cloud. The clang of the tin as it was pierced full of holes drew even more attention.

Gaston grumbled something under his breath, forcing Belle back into the seat and roughly tying her wrists back to the armrests. Anna waited for him to wander over to the group of men before making her silent descent towards her target.

Belle offered her a small smile of gratitude as Anna cut her bindings off with her dagger. "My hero." The brunette murmured, rubbing her chafed wrists.

Anna shook her head and took out her lighter. "Don't thank me just yet."

"HEY!" they both turned to see all the men staring at them from across the warehouse.

"Start running!" Anna commanded, pushing the girl towards the warehouse exit. The brunette, to her credit, did not question the command.

_Here goes everything!_ Anna lit up the lighter and tossed it towards the barrels. Suddenly half the warehouse burst into flames, the men who'd been investigating started screaming while running around blindly searching for something to extinguish themselves.

Anna knew that citrus oil was highly flammable and had used that to her advantage when she pierced the barrels with her knives. The liquid had leaked from the holes all over the floor where the men were blindly searching in her smoke trap. Once ignited, the flames spread to the wooden crates and to other tin barrels, finally evolving into a full blown inferno.

Anna quickly left the warehouse before she got caught up in the fiery mess.

"I assume now is the proper time to give you my thanks?" Belle asked her quietly, her eyes still locked on the burning building. It glowed brightly in the dark of the moonless night.

Anna placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's get you back to the base. Your father's waiting for you there."

Belle nodded and allowed the redhead to guide her across the dark and dingy shipyard to a sporty blue convertible. The brunette smiled at the car as she sat in the passenger seat. "May we leave the top down?" she asked, excitement seeping into her voice.

Anna smirked. "Of course."

She revved the engine and sped out of the lot. Belle smiled into the wind as it whipped her ponytail around wildly. "This is marvelous!" she cheered with delight.

"Never been in a convertible I take it?" Anna asked casually.

Belle shook her head, child-like smile still in place. "No, my father's driver Phillipe takes me everywhere. It's terribly dull!"

Anna chuckled, speeding up a bit when she got to the deserted highway that led back into town. "Well kid, if you ever want to go for a joy ride just contact the agency and I'll pick you up. The coast is a really awesome way to go during the day, you can see the ocean and the crashing waves."

Belle pouted. "I am not a child, I'll have you know. I'm probably not much younger than yourself. How old are you?" she paused, "Come to think of it, I don't believe I know your name either."

Anna smirked playfully, taking a tight turn with practiced ease. "That's classified." At Belle's glare, she broke into a chuckle, "Just kidding. My name's Anna Andersen, and I'm 24."

Belle nodded, taking in this new information. "It's a pleasure to meet you Anna, even under the given circumstances. I would introduce myself to you, but I assume that the action would be quite moot."

"Moot?"

"Pointless."

"Well, you assume correctly," Anna said, slowing down as they reached the city limits, "I already know plenty about who you are. However, I still don't understand why you were kidnapped by those guys."

Belle sighed and rested her chin in her hand, her elbow propped up on the side of the car. "Why else would the daughter of a rich man be kidnapped by a group of brutes? Money, obviously."

Anna raised an eyebrow, slowing down to stop at a red light. "I don't think that's the whole story here," she stated, "And I think you know that too."

The brunette stared at her for a moment. "I'm impressed by your intuition," she acknowledged after a moment, "They were after a set of passcodes that grant access to my father's most important and secretive research."

Anna nodded, pulling into a parking lot next to a flower shop. "I don't suppose you'll tell me what the research is about, huh?"

Belle smiled sadly and shook her head. "No, sorry," she looked around curiously, "I thought you said we were going back to your agency?"

Anna unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. "We are, just follow me."

The brunette nodded and followed her across the parking lot to the florist building. "'_The Corona'?"_ Belle read the store's sign aloud, "Your base of operations is in a flower shop?"

Anna shook her head and led the girl around to the back of the building. The wall was made of neatly stacked bricks, blemished by an array of all sorts of colorful graffiti.

"Not _in _a flower shop…" Anna approached the wall, her hand reaching out to touch a small yellow sun design that had been painted onto the center most brick. Suddenly, the central slab of the wall receded into the ground, revealing a small platform elevator.

Anna smirked at the look of surprise on the young brunette's face. "We're going _underneath_ a flower shop."

Belle followed her wordlessly into the elevator, watching with interest as they descended several levels down. "This is quite clever, I must admit."

Anna smiled and thanked her as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Andersen! You're late!" a short, stubby balding man with a big nose and a red goatee stomped towards them.

"Relax, Phil," Anna held up her hands in surrender, "I was held up due to some complications." She internally grimaced at the report she'd have to give. Burning down a warehouse wasn't exactly following the mission plan.

The little grumpy man grumbled and shook his head. "Just get in your office, Agent Flynn is waiting for you with Mr. Du Franc, he wants to talk about another assignment or somethin'."

Anna sighed at the prospect of yet another difficult job. She honestly just wanted to go home and get to sleep. She made sure Belle was still trailing behind her as she trudged to her office.

Flynn greeted her with a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Good job, Feisty. You made it out of there in one piece, and with Ms. Du Franc safe 'n' sound no less."

Anna sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, um, about that…I may have, say… burned down a warehouse." She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the scolding comment. But it never came, and was that chuckling?

Flynn was smiling at her. "I already heard about that, and I've got damage control on the case. So don't worry, you did the right thing."

"I-I did?" Anna stuttered in surprise.

"Of course you did." Another man said as he approached them, "You've brought back my precious little girl unharmed, and for that I am truly grateful to this organization."

"Father!" Belle ran into the man's open arms and hugged him tightly. Anna's heart warmed at the sight. It was moments like these that made her love her job.

Flynn smiled as well. "The Guardians are always happy to help those in need."

Mr. Du Franc smiled over his daughters shoulder. "Thank you again, you have done more good than you will ever realize."

"It was no trouble at all." Anna said casually, trying to play it cool and nonchalant. "Belle's a really nice girl."

The brunette pulled away from her father and smiled at her. "Thank you again, Anna." She said earnestly, "For saving me."

Mr. Du Franc shook Anna's hand, followed by Flynn's. "I'll have compensation sent over tomorrow, and if you ever need any strings pulled, I'll be happy to oblige." He said.

And then they left with warm smiles on their faces.

Flynn grinned at her. "So Feisty, did you find out anything good?"

Anna sat down at her desk, which still had Belle's file open and her papers splayed all about. "Nothing overly substantial," she replied tiredly, "The group of supposed 'thugs' turned out to be some kind of crime syndicate who were after the passcodes for Du Franc's special research. Their leader wasn't there, just some really annoying guy with a bunch of armed lackeys." She sighed and leaned back in her chair. Her muscles were starting to ache a little bit, and a few knots were beginning to form in her shoulders.

Flynn took in this information with a slow nod. "I see. Intel has been tracking a dangerous syndicate who call themselves 'Nightmare', and I believe that they were the ones behind it. Word on the street is that Nightmare is preparing something big and dangerous, which brings me to the topic of your next assignment."

Anna inwardly groaned. It was two in the freaking morning! The whole 'justice never sleeps' catchphrase was starting to sound like a load of crap. _Justice better be allowed to go home and take a damn nap!_

"Don't worry, you can go home after we debrief," Flynn said as if he was reading her mind. He pressed a button on his watch. "Bring her in." he spoke into it.

After a few seconds, the door to the office opened once more. Anna suddenly felt wide awake, while simultaneously feeling like her heart had stopped.

The woman before her was beautiful, no, she was _gorgeous_! Neatly styled up platinum blonde hair was arranged in an elaborate braided bun, complimented by flawless snowy skin. And her eyes! They were the deepest, bluest eyes that Anna had ever seen in her entire life. And they were gazing right at her!

"U-uh, hi." Anna was already making an idiot of herself, her freckled face turning the color of a tomato.

The blonde smiled shyly. "Hello." She greeted back with a nervous little wave. _Gods, even her voice is beautiful! And that little waving thing she did was so damn cute!_ Anna blushed harder.

"Anna, meet Elsa," Flynn introduced, "Elsa, Anna."

Anna nodded in greeting, trying not to notice how the woman's sundress perfectly displayed the delicate curves of her hips.

"You will be guarding Elsa at your home for the next few months."

That snapped Anna right out of her hormone induced haze. "Wait, what?" she whipped her head around to face him. "Why can't we just protect her here?"

"Honestly?" Flynn answered with a raise of his brow, "Because she isn't safe here. The people who are looking for her… they're dangerous and resourceful, and they will most likely be keeping tabs on the base for signs of her."

Anna stood up from her chair, brushing off her black pants. "I still don't see how my place is any better. My neighbors are all busybodies who will probably know something's up if I bring a random stranger to come live with me. They'll talk, and word will travel around back to her pursuers."

Flynn opened his mouth to speak, but Anna cut him off. "And don't even think you can make her blend in by passing her off as my long lost cousin or something because everyone in the City of Arendelle knows that I don't have any living family."

Flynn sighed and crossed his arms. "Are you done pleading your case?"

Anna nodded.

"Well, as I said before, she will be staying with you," he said, "And she will be posing as your fiancé."

Suddenly Anna's heart started beating again, no, this time it was racing. Hell, it was running a freaking marathon in her chest. "M-My..f-fi…m-my…" she couldn't even form a coherent thought. Her eyes darted to Elsa, who sat demurely in a cushioned chair like some sort of still life art. _She has really nice posture…wait, what am I saying?_ "She can't be my fiancé!" Anna blurted.

Two sets of eyes stared back at her, one slightly hurt. "I-I mean," she stuttered, "Why don't you get one of the male agents to do it?"

"Because most of them are either married, have girlfriends, have roommates, or are gay." Flynn replied, "Face it Anna, you're one of the only operatives we have that lives alone, isn't seeing anybody, and lives in a location that is a safe enough distance from the base."

Anna sighed and slumped against her desk. She realized that there was no getting out of it. Life was going to be hell. _How am I going to survive living with a goddess?_

"Fine, is there anything I need to do?" She asked, resigned to the idea.

Flynn smiled. "Nothing for now, but I'll keep you posted. Just make sure to sell it to the bystanders so she blends in."

Anna nodded. "Done. Now tell me this, why are people after her?"

Flynn grimaced. "That's classified."

Anna narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you kidding me?"

He shook his head. "It's on a strict need-to-know basis."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She looked at Elsa, who was watching their exchange intently. "Are you ready to go?" Anna asked her, surprised at how gentle her own voice sounded.

The blonde nodded nervously. "Yes, Ms. Andersen. Flynn had some of my things moved into your home while you were out on your mission."

Anna sent a glare to Flynn before turning back to her fake fiancé. "Please, call me Anna. We are going to be fake married after all." She tried to make it sound light hearted, but her voice came out gloomy and dull.

Elsa smiled sympathetically, her kind blue eyes acting as a balm on Anna's soul. "Thank you, Anna. I know that you don't want to do this, and I appreciate the fact that you are doing this anyway for my sake…It is very kind of you."

Anna felt a dopey smile spreading across her face. Being complimented by such a pretty woman made her insides turn to absolute mush. Her face became red again. "I-I'm happy to help." She cursed her blithering idiocy in the face of beauty. Elsa probably thought she was completely inept.

Flynn smiled at the two of them. "I think that this'll work out just fine."

* * *

**I am alive! Gosh it's been forever, hasn't it? Taking summer classes in college is hell on earth, remember that for those of you who are thinking about taking them. Also if you're waiting on ATW, don't worry, I'm still working on that as well. Anyway, let me know what you think of this story so far. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

The car ride back to her house was quite awkward for Anna. She kept glancing at the blonde in the passenger seat out of the corner of her eye. Elsa sat still, hands folded demurely in her lap while she gazed out the window.

Anna turned back to the road and cleared her throat. "So…" she began awkwardly, feeling a jitteriness in the pit of her stomach. Why did Elsa have to be so pretty?

"Yes?" came the soft reply.

Right, Anna was supposed to say something. What was that again…? A long, awkward pause followed.

"Uh…" _C'mon Anna! Say something! _"Tell me about yourself!" Okay, so that was not the most creative thing to say, but at least it was better than gaping at the road like a mentally stunted goldfish.

"Oh." A pause. "Alright then," She could feel Elsa's eyes on her, "I am 25, I like to cook, I'm not very good with horror films, and I think that your red hair is beautiful."

Elsa had sounded so casual with that compliment, as if she were talking about the sky or the weather instead of a person. Anna was visibly shaken by it, a blush dusting her freckled cheeks.

"O-Oh? Well, uh, thanks…" _She just complimented you! Say something nice back!_ Anna sputtered dumbly. "I, uh, I-I think that your, uh…everything is beautiful. I-I mean, you're beautiful. In general, I mean." Now she sounded like a total idiot who couldn't even form a coherent thought.

She caught Elsa's quiet 'thank you', but didn't trust herself to continue the conversation. She didn't want the blonde to think worse of her than she already did. So instead, Anna silently sulked the rest of the drive home.

It was only when they pulled into the driveway of Anna's house that she spoke again.

"Home sweet home!" she said as cheerfully as possible. Elsa smiled at her, which was a big plus in her book. The two exited the car and proceeded up the walkway to the front door.

Anna glanced around for any of her neighbors, because despite everything, this was still a mission. The suburban neighborhood was surprisingly empty. Of course, it was about four in the morning so they were probably all still sleeping.

The redhead took out her keys and unlocked the door, holding it open for Elsa. The blonde thanked her and entered the home first.

Anna was able to afford to live alone in a nice suburban home thanks to her well-paying job at the Guardians Agency. It was a single story three bedroom, two bathroom home, complete with a full kitchen (though she never used it) and a generous living room.

Anna had converted one of the bedrooms into her home office, and the other into a workout room. She didn't have any family, which meant no visitors coming to stay with her, so she didn't really feel the need to have a guest room. Until now, that is. _I guess I'll take the couch._

Anna walked into the living room and cringed. She really should clean up more often, there were shirts and pants and books littering the space. Some of her work out equipment was left out in front of the television. A half empty water glass sat on the coffee table, right next to her Xbox controller.

She turned to Elsa and grimaced. "I'm really sorry for the mess," she apologized earnestly, "I wasn't expecting anyone." _Ever._

Elsa just smiled and shook her head. "Please, do not worry about me," she proved her point by seating herself on the couch, running a delicate hand over the plush material, "Your home is wonderful. It has character."

Anna wanted to hug her then and there. _How can someone be so nice?_ But that would be weird if she just tackled the poor woman outright. So instead she just chuckled awkwardly. "Would you like a tour?" she asked, feeling a bit nervous.

Elsa nodded eagerly, her lovely blue eyes filled to the brim with curiosity. Anna showed her each room, explaining their purpose while inwardly wishing that she'd cleaned her house before Elsa got there. She found that she really wanted to impress the blonde goddess.

"And that concludes our tour," Anna finished when they reached the living room once again, "Any questions?"

Suddenly she heard a gurgling sound. Anna's face flushed with embarrassment as she glanced down at her stomach. Elsa giggled. "I believe you are hungry." She stated with child-like amusement.

Anna smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I am." She made her way into the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to remember that she hadn't gone grocery shopping recently. She turned to Elsa, who was watching her intently from a seat at the breakfast bar. "Is pizza alright with you?"

The blonde quickly nodded. _Sheesh, she's so cute!_

Anna took out her cell and pressed three on her speed dial. Pizza Castle delivered fresh, cheesy goodness 24 hours a day. As it rang, she turned back to Elsa. "What do you like on your pizza?"

A look of confusion passed over the blonde's face before she shook her head. "Anything you choose is fine."

Anna didn't have time to ask anything else because the guy picked up the phone.

"_Hello Anna, what can I get for you?"_

In hindsight, if the pizza guy can recognize you by your phone number then maybe you ordered out too much.

"Hey Mario," Anna greeted, "Let me get a large pizza with extra cheese, and some of those yummy bread sticks."

"_Okey dokey, it'll be there in about 30 minutes."_

"Thanks."

She hung up and grinned at Elsa. "Food's on the way." She stated, placing her phone on the counter and sighing. The blonde was still watching her with slight intrigue.

"Do you want to watch some TV while we wait?" Anna asked, already moving to the living room to plop herself down on the couch.

Elsa nodded and joined her silently, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Anna grabbed the remote to flip through the channels, trying to find something that wasn't a rerun or an infomercial. This was very difficult to do, because that's basically all that is shown at four in the morning.

The redhead finally gave up and turned on the news. A pretty blonde reporter with large glasses was talking about the weather.

"_You can expect some scattered showers later on this evening into tomorrow afternoon, but don't worry, the rest of the week will be beautiful and sunny! Perfect weather for being outdoors!" _She announced with a perky voice. _"That's it for the forecast, I'm your weather reporter Sammy Sparks!"_

Anna glanced over at Elsa, who was watching the screen intently. Anna took the opportunity to study her profile. Beautifully slender nose, long eyelashes, elegant cheekbones, and soft, rosy lips. _Okay, maybe I should look away now before I reach total creep status._

Just then, a news flash showed up on the screen, thankfully drawing her attention away from the pretty girl beside her.

"_Breaking news! A warehouse has caught fire by the seaport in the cargo shipping district. Firefighter and police reports say that a defective propane tank exploded and ignited some of the cooking oils stored in the building, causing the fire."_ The reporter stated, _"Luckily no one was harmed in the blaze. Now for the sports…"_

Anna sighed and leaned her head back on the plush sofa. It looked like the damage control division had done theirs jobs.

"Were you there when the fire took place?" Elsa asked in a conversational tone. Anna couldn't read the blonde's expression.

"Yeah," she replied, running a nervous hand through her red fringe, "I uh, I actually was the one who started it." _Great, now she thinks you're stupid AND an arsonist!_

"Oh." Elsa stared at her blankly for a moment, before turning back to the screen. "I'm glad that you aren't hurt." The concerned glance she cast to the redhead said it all.

Anna fought off a dopey smile. Elsa cared about her! This gorgeous person not only seemed accepting of all her crazy secret agent stuff, but actually cared about her wellbeing. It was nice to feel…not so alone. Having the company was definitely better than being all by herself in an empty house.

The doorbell rang and Anna sprung up to go answer it. Mario greeted her with a big pizza box and a bag of garlic breadsticks. "Hi Anna," he greeted with a boyish smile, "That'll be twenty dollars even."

She handed him a twenty and a ten and told him to keep the change. She placed the box on the counter and got out some plates. "Pizza's here!" she cheered, making a goofy face, "I love-ah the pizz-ah!" she sing-songed in a phony Italian accent. She heard Elsa's giggle and smiled in victory. She really liked hearing the blonde's laugh.

They ate together and watched a rerun of 'America's Cutest' on Animal Planet. Elsa seemed to love the show, her eyes lighting up at all the cute kittens on the screen. Anna found her expressions quite adorable. But soon even the redhead was captivated by all the cute little fluff balls on the screen. Because really, they were freakin' adorable!

About an hour had passed when Anna felt a weight on her shoulder. She glanced down to find a head of soft platinum locks. _Ohmygodohmygodohmygod…she's resting her head on my shoulder! Okay, calm down, don't screw this up! Just act natural and don't freak her out!_ Anna tried to stay as still as possible so the blonde beauty wouldn't move. It took her a few moments to realize that Elsa had actually fallen asleep. She looked breathtaking, even in slumber, her long dark eyelashes resting on her delicate porcelain cheeks and her soft lips parted slightly to allow tiny little snores to escape.

Anna finally allowed the big dopey smile onto her face. _She has got to be the cutest human being on the planet!_ She carefully turned the television off with the remote. It was now five thirty in the morning, and Anna was ready to go to sleep. She glanced down at her slumbering fake fiancé. _I really don't want to wake her up…I just need to get her to my bed._ She paused and made a face. _Okay, that sounded way worse than I intended it to be._

She shook her head, mentally preparing herself for the task at hand. Anna carefully turned her body, going slowly so as not to wake the sleeping goddess. Phase one complete. Next, she gingerly slipped her arms around Elsa's form, taking extra care to go very slowly and not touch anywhere that was inappropriate. Phase two complete. Finally, Anna lifted the sleeping beauty into her arms. She was surprisingly light, considering her height.

Elsa murmured something, curling her head into Anna's chest. The redhead blushed, but slowly and carefully started to make her way to her bedroom. She gently laid the blonde down in her bed, pulling the covers up to her shoulders. The blonde nuzzled into the pillow and sighed contentedly. Anna just stared at her for a moment, taking in the peaceful expression on the woman's beautiful face.

_She really is gorgeous._ Before she could stop herself, Anna leant down and pressed a gentle kiss to her platinum locks. "Goodnight, Elsa." She whispered quietly. "Sweet dreams."

She pulled away and left the room, silently closing the door. Anna fell back onto the living room couch, sprawling out and yawning before sleep claimed her senses.

* * *

She awoke to the sound of sizzling, and the smell of bacon. Anna shot up from the couch, her blanket falling down to her lap. Funny, she hadn't remembered grabbing a blanket before she went to sleep.

She entered the kitchen to find a smiling Elsa, flipping a skillet of bacon and eggs. "Do you like bacon and eggs?" the blonde asked with a shy smile.

Anna nodded eagerly, taking a seat at the breakfast bar and watching her cook. Anna herself had absolutely zero talent in the kitchen. Most of her attempts at food preparation ended up looking like the warehouse she just burned down. Elsa, on the other hand, made cooking appear effortless.

"I hope you don't mind," Elsa was saying, "I just walked to the market down the street and picked up some groceries."

Anna glanced at the clock over the stove. It was four in the afternoon. She'd slept too long. "Actually, I think we should lay down some ground rules."

That earned her Elsa's full attention as the blonde nodded seriously.

Anna paused for a moment to think before continuing with what she needed to say. "Seeing as how I'm supposed to be guarding you, I think that it would be best if you tell me when you leave the house and where you're going," she said, trying to be firm in the face of disarming beauty, "That way, if something happens, I'll know. And don't worry about waking me up for anything either, your safety comes first. Do you have a cellphone?"

Elsa nodded and handed it over. It was the latest model of smartphone, which made Anna slightly jealous. She quickly made a new contact and gave it back to her. "Okay, I've added my number to your contacts. I'm also number one on your speed dial. If you ever need anything, or if there are any problems while I'm away at work, just call."

Again, Elsa nodded dutifully. "Thank you, Anna."

"It's my job," the redhead said with a smile and a shrug. "Also, thanks for going to the store. My fridge was running on empty."

The blonde smiled at her, taking out two plates. "Breakfast is ready," she announced, then shyly added, "I wasn't sure how you liked your eggs, so I just went the safe route and scrambled them."

Anna waved away Elsa's fretting, scooping some bacon and eggs onto her plate with a big grin. "I'm just happy to have a cute girl make me breakfast." _Oh crap, I didn't mean to say that!_ Anna wanted to slap herself, or dig a deep hole and throw herself in, or maybe both. _Stupid! Fix this now! _"I-I-I uh, I mean, I-I can't cook to save my life, so…"

Elsa giggled, a pink hue dusting her porcelain cheeks. "Well I would be happy to cook for you anytime you wish."

Anna decided it was best not to talk and embarrass herself further, so she just started eating instead. The food was delicious, and she made sure to compliment the blonde's culinary skills many times over the course of breakfast. Luckily, it had been easier to form coherent statements with a bit of sustenance in her stomach. Elsa seemed really happy that Anna enjoyed her food.

The phone rang after they finished cleaning up the kitchen. Anna knew who it was based on the caller ID.

"Yes?" she asked without preamble.

"_Hey Anna, how's the missus?" _came the joking response.

Anna glanced at Elsa and fought off a blush. "Fine. What do you need Flynn?"

"_Aw, you're no fun,"_ Flynn pouted through the line, _"Anyway, I need you to come in tomorrow morning at seven am sharp."_

Anna rolled her eyes. "I'll be there. See you then."

She hung up and smiled sheepishly at the blonde. "I have to work tomorrow." She said with a helpless sigh.

Elsa returned the smile. "Until then, what would you like to do?"

_Bask in your radiance, wait, what?_ "Uh," Anna was once again struggling to respond, "D-Do you like Scrabble?" Her 'smoothness' factor needed some serious work, it seemed.

Elsa didn't appear to mind though. As a matter of fact, she seemed quite happy with the thought of playing board games. "I've always wanted to try it," she admitted, "But I've never had the opportunity."

Anna grinned. "Well that's about to change!" she declared jovially, before quickly scurrying off to the hall closet to get her Scrabble box.

They cleared a space on the living room floor, Anna once again apologizing for the messiness, and set up the board. The redhead patiently instructed Elsa on how to play, while the blonde took in every word with a look of utmost sincerity and concentration. It was quite cute.

Anna had soon discovered that Elsa was actually really good at scrabble. Like, extremely good. The redhead lost five games, not winning a single time. But still, it was the most fun she'd had in a while.

"Well Ms. Elsa, it seems that you have a way with words." Anna sighed after her sixth defeat. She didn't even catch how flirty she sounded. Which is good, because she'd probably become a bumbling mess again.

The blonde blushed and smiled shyly. "You're not so bad yourself."

Anna broke into a grin. "Thanks!" then she smirked, "But seriously, have you played this before?"

Elsa quickly shook her head. "No, but I can honestly say it is my new favorite game."

"Good," Anna declared with a firm nod, "It wouldn't be good for my agent rep to get hustled so easily, you know."

Elsa giggled into her hand. "Well, I wouldn't want your sterling reputation tarnished."

Anna grinned. "How about one more round? Winner take all. I have to reclaim my dignity."

"Very well," Elsa smirked. _Gods, that smirk!_ "Don't think I'll go easy on you just because your reputation is at stake."

"Oh, it's on now," Anna's eyes burned with determination as she organized her tiles. "I love a challenge."

The resulting tie, while not entirely satisfying, prevented the fall of Anna's dignity.

* * *

**Tada! Another chapter just for you! I hope you enjoy it, I had fun writing it. Now, to go study for my finals on Thursday. Bleh.**


	3. Chapter 3

The sun had just about set when a knock sounded at the door. Anna quickly shot up from the couch, gesturing for Elsa to remain seated.

The redhead had been in the middle of teaching Elsa to play Final Fantasy 10 on the Xbox 360. Once again, the blonde woman had surprised her with her skill. Elsa was an excellent strategist with a sharp wit to match. Of course, this only made Anna even more intrigued by her. There were so many different sides to her mysterious guest, and each one only served to pull Anna in deeper.

The redhead cautiously approached the door, ready to deal with any unwelcome intruders. She always kept a small dagger behind the picture frame hanging next to the front door, just in case. The photo in the frame was one of the only ones she'd been able to keep of her parents after they passed away. She always felt safer knowing they were watching over the entryway.

The door opened to reveal a plump old woman carrying a tray of zucchini casserole. Anna relaxed at the sight of her neighbor.

"Hi Gerda," she greeted with a big grin, "How are you this evening?"

The woman smiled and pulled Anna into a one armed hug that squeezed the air from the redhead's lungs. "Just fine, dear!" she said as she pulled away, "I just came by because I had a heap of casserole left over, and I was hoping you'd take it off my hands."

The tray was pushed into Anna's arms. This actually happened quite frequently; Anna's neighbors all knew that the redhead lived alone and couldn't cook to save her life, so they would often make up random reasons to give her home cooked food. It made Anna a bit uncomfortable at times though. "Oh, uh, thanks Gerda."

The older woman waved her words away. "Oh pish-posh, darling! You're the one who's helping me! And little Kristoff helped make it too! He insisted that I share some with you, and I just can't say no to that child."

Kristoff was Gerda's eight year old grandson that came to live with her after his parents suffered a fatal car accident. Anna felt a strong connection with him because of it. She'd been thirteen when her parents were taken from her. She knew all too well of the unbearable pain of loss and the darkest depths of despair. That's why she was very protective of the little blonde boy; Anna wanted to make sure that he always had someone to help him shoulder the burdens she'd had to face all alone.

"Between you and me." Gerda whispered conspiratorially with a mischievous grin, "I think the boy has a little crush on you, Miss Andersen."

Anna chuckled good-naturedly. To be honest, she really wasn't sure how to respond to that. Luckily, Elsa chose that moment to make an appearance.

"Anna, I was wondering if you could explain—" the blonde paused when she noticed the older woman at the door. "Oh, good evening. My name is Elsa, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Gerda stared at her as if Elsa were a mythical creature that breathed rainbows and cried tears of gold. Finally, she seemed to snap out of it. "Oh my goodness! Anna actually has company!" she squealed, pulling Elsa in for a suffocating hug. The blonde seemed a bit surprised by the action, but didn't complain. "This must be the first time in…well, forever!"

Elsa blinked, her eyes a bit wide at the old woman's excitement. "Oh?"

Gerda nodded so fast her hair whipped around her head. "Why yes," she leaned in conspiratorially, "Our Anna's a bit of a loner, you see."

The redhead folded her arms over her chest with indignation. "I am not!" she grumbled.

Both of the women giggled at her expense. Gerda patted Anna on the shoulder to console her bruised ego. "Oh, don't worry yourself dear. After all, you have Elsa to come and visit you now."

Anna had to fight off a dopey grin at the thought of spending time with Elsa. Gerda seemed to notice her uncharacteristic silence and smiled knowingly.

"So Elsa," the old woman began casually, "Did you just move to Arendelle? I can't say that I've seen your face around here before…and trust me, I'd remember a face as darling as yours."

Anna straightened. This was it, the test she'd have to pass to fully establish her cover. _Think Anna, remember the cover story…what did the file say again? Oh fudge I can't remember! Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"Elsa's actually living with me now. We're engaged!" Anna blurted. _Great going genius! This is why Flynn should've given someone else this job._

Gerda looked slightly confused. "Oh?"

_That's it! We're done for, our cover is going to be blown to smithereens because I'm a bumbling idiot!_

"Yes Gerda," Elsa stepped in, "You see, up until recently I'd been living in the next town over. I met Anna one day when she was making flower deliveries over there, and I was quite taken by her bubbly charm…" _Looks like someone read the file._

Suddenly, she felt a soft hand fold itself into her own, slender fingers lacing between hers to make a perfect fit. Her heart sped up, and Anna blushed to the tips of her ears when she realized that Elsa was holding her hand. _Oh dear god! I can't breathe! I can't even remember how to breathe! Doctor! Somebody call an ambulance! I'm going into cardiac arrest!_

"After that, I made it a point to order flowers twice a week, just so I could see her and her beautiful smile…" Elsa continued, her light blush adding to her stunning performance. She smiled shyly at the old woman. "The rest is history, I suppose."

Gerda was practically eating out of the blonde's hand at this point, and was very quick to squeal and jump up and down. "Oh my! How romantic!" she exclaimed, "It's just like something out of a Nicholas Sparks novel!"

Anna tried to say something, but all that came out was a strangled cough. Luckily Gerda didn't notice because she was still caught up in her own little episode.

"I had always wondered where Anna disappeared to at all hours," she confessed giddily, "She claimed it was for late night deliveries for the florist she works at, but now I know the real reason, hmm?" she cast them both a sly wink. The implications were obvious.

Anna blushed to the roots of her hair, while Elsa's blue eyes widened in surprise. They didn't need to fake their embarrassment.

"Oh relax darlings," Gerda chuckled, pulling them both in for a bone-crushing hug, "I'm merely happy for the both of you…It's about time you had someone to put happiness back in your life, Anna dear,"

"Thanks Gerda." Anna was finally able to get out.

The old woman waved her words away. "I've done nothing. Though, I will begin planning a celebratory picnic for you two soon, you can count on that."

Anna wanted to roll her eyes at the thought of a picnic at Gerda's. Those affairs always tended to be very tiring and rambunctious. Elsa looked delighted at the thought of a get together. _Poor soul doesn't know what she's in for._

"We will be looking forward to it." The blonde said with a radiant smile.

Gerda nodded excitedly. "I must go now to start planning everything. Enjoy your evening you two!"

"We will, same to you." Anna replied, closing the door. She sighed heavily and slumped against it.

Elsa smiled at her, taking the casserole tray from her and placing it on the kitchen counter. "I think that went well." She stated brightly.

Anna groaned. "If by well, you mean I almost ruined it all, then yes." She just wanted to crawl under a rock and never come out again. How could Elsa not think she was a total idiot?

The blonde's smile fell, replaced by a look of concern. "Anna, I think you're being too hard on yourself." She strode over and placed a delicate hand on her shoulder, "No one is great at everything."

Anna sighed, red locks of hair covering her eyes as her gaze fell to the floor. "You seem to be." She hadn't meant to sound so bitter, and immediately regretted it.

Elsa bent down to look into Anna's eyes that were hidden by her red fringe. Instead of looking hurt or angry, Anna could only see tenderness and warmth in those deep blue orbs.

"Listen to me, Anna," she said softly, "I have flaws too, many in fact. But I also have things I excel at, and so do you. You are so brave, and kind, and strong…you are an amazing person, Anna. I only wish that you could see what I do."

Anna chuckled, even though her eyes were fogging up with tears. "Maybe we should trade eyes then," she joked, "Yours are much prettier anyway."

Elsa smiled. "I could say the same about yours. They remind me of the ocean."

Anna wiped her eyes and pushed off from the door to stand up fully. "I take it you like the ocean?"

The blonde blushed, a light pink color dusting over her snowy cheeks. "Yes…Well actually, that leads to one of my flaws that I mentioned."

Anna's eyes brightened, her curiosity piqued. "Which is…?"

Elsa bit her lip. "I…can't swim."

Anna grinned at her. "I could teach you, if you want. I'm a great swimmer!" she cringed at how eager she sounded. _Down girl!_

Elsa smiled back at her, sadness in her eyes. "Thank you for offering, Anna. I've tried to learn before, but …whenever I get into the water I just freeze up for some reason…My instructors all gave up on me…"

_So I guess no scuba diving on our honeymoon._ Anna mentally slapped herself. _Stop joking around numbskull! She's opening up to you! Be supportive!_

Anna was quick to grab one of her hands and give it a reassuring squeeze. _Holding hands again! Score!_

"Hey, it's like you said earlier," Anna assured her with a beaming grin, "We're not perfect, and that's okay."

Elsa looked at their joined hands and smiled so beautifully Anna thought she might swoon. _On second thought,_ the redhead mused mentally, _I'd have to argue that perfection exists in her smile._

* * *

**Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been a while, I went on a family vacation after finals (which I did great on, thanks to all your well-wishes ;)). Once again, sorry for the wait. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ****You don't have to read the next paragraph, it's just about my vacation.**  


**_We went to the Bahamas, which was totally awesome! The water there is so pretty and all the fishies are so colorful! But even better was the thing that happened to me! Okay, so one day we did this snorkeling/scuba thing, and the instructor guy made us partner off with other people. Long story short, I was paired with a really beautiful girl and I got to hold her hand! You don't realize how big a deal this is for me, I've never held a pretty girl's hand before (my parents are homophobic and I'm also really shy). So when I got to hold her hand, I was like: aljsfb;hgefnb;dfnkl'! Seriously I thought I was going to die from a heart attack or something! Hopefully I didn't seem as 'freak-y out-y' on the outside. She was very nice through the whole thing, too. All in all, best vay-kay everrrr!_  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Gerda's casserole was just as tasty as Anna remembered it. Elsa liked it as well, saying that she would have to ask the woman for the recipe sometime. Eating dinner together was nice. Having Elsa there with her filled Anna with a comforting sense of companionship. It was a lot less…lonely.

After everything was cleaned up, Anna went to go get a shower while Elsa changed into pajamas. The hot water was very refreshing and soothed the redhead's tired muscles. She let her mind wander while she washed her hair. _I wonder what Flynn wanted…maybe he's going to tell me something more about Elsa?_ She sighed. So much about her mysterious charge was still kept hidden from her.

When the redhead finally walked back into the living room, she found the blonde curled up on the couch, dressed in a pretty blue nightgown, and reading a book.

Anna stood for a moment to take in the scene before her. Deep blue eyes, long dark lashes, languidly pouring over the words on the page, a faint smile resting on supple rosy lips. Soft locks of platinum blonde hair spilled over her shoulders, free from her usual braided bun. Anna was once again struck by how effortlessly beautiful Elsa was. _She's like a painting..._

Suddenly those endlessly blue eyes were staring at her. Elsa smiled. Anna's heart skipped a beat.

The redhead looked down at her own sleeping attire, a pair of baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt. _I'm just the picture of sophisticated grace, aren't I?_

"You look rejuvenated." Elsa commented happily, closing her book and placing it on the coffee table. "Would you like to watch a movie before we go to bed? I noticed that you have Anastasia on DVD…it's one of my favorites."

Anna could only nod because her brain was stuck on repeat with the phrase 'before we go to bed'. Elsa had said 'we', as in 'together'. _Get your dumb brain out of the gutter and respond to the pretty lady!_

"Sounds great!" she chirped bit too loudly. "I'll go make popcorn!"

Anna fled the room towards the safety of the kitchen. She sighed heavily, opening the pantry and removing a packet of popcorn. She wanted to smack herself for being such a spastic case around the blonde. _She probably thinks I have mental problems._ The thought made her feel overwhelmingly gloomy.

She returned to the living room with a bowl full of (thankfully not burnt) popcorn and sat next to Elsa on the couch. Anna was careful to place herself an appropriate distance from the blonde, because really, she did not want to add 'creepy' to the list of negative impressions she was leaving.

Of course, about thirty seconds into the movie Elsa had closed some of the gap between them in order to drape a fluffy blanket over their legs. The adorable smile the blonde had as she took a bit of popcorn melted Anna's heart. _How can so much cute be crammed into one person?_

They both sang along to several of the songs, giggling like little dorks. Elsa had a beautiful voice, which was yet another thing to add to the list of 'things that make Elsa perfect'. Of course, the blonde was quick to compliment Anna on her singing prowess, which caused the redhead to blush.

"I usually just sing by myself…" she mumbled shyly.

Elsa smiled at her. "Then I consider myself lucky to be one of the privileged few to hear your lovely voice."

_Is she trying to make me swoon with her compliments? Because sweet snowman in July! It's working!_ Anna tried to recover, making sure to inhale and exhale slowly.

"So, uh, you said that Anastasia was one of your favorite movies?" she decided to steer towards a different (safer) topic.

Elsa nodded, her blue eyes sparkling. "Oh yes, I really enjoy the story," she explained brightly, "I suppose it's because I can relate a bit to the main character."

Anna paused to take in her words. Unknowingly or not, Elsa had just given Anna a clue about herself. She had to find out more.

"Why is that?" she asked, not really being one for tactful questioning.

Elsa's smile faded and she shrugged. "I…" she paused, eyes falling to her lap, "I…don't really remember my childhood…" she looked troubled, almost helpless as she stared at her hands, "My…parents, my friends….I just…don't remember any of it."

"Is it amnesia? Where are your parents now?" Anna asked, desperately trying to figure out a way to help. There had to be something she could do to help, right? It pained her to see the woman so distressed.

"They're both gone now." Elsa looked at her then, and Anna could've sworn she saw deep sadness swirling in those blue orbs for a brief moment before it was hidden away. "I…get brief flashes of it sometimes," the blonde told her quietly, "Small memories…my mother and me building a sandcastle…my father and me playing chess…reading a book by the windowsill…"

Elsa looked away, her hands folding themselves together on her lap. "The sad part is that it doesn't even feel real to me," she said, her voice becoming unsteady, "Almost as if that little girl isn't me, but someone else who…came before, or something. I don't even know anymore." The blonde sniffled quietly. "Now you probably think I'm strange."

Anna placed a hand over Elsa's trembling ones. "Hey," she soothed, brushing soft pale skin with the pad of her thumb, "It's okay. I don't think you're strange at all, Elsa. I actually think you're pretty much perfect."

This caused a watery smile. Anna beamed back with accomplishment. For once she was doing something right.

"I don't really know a whole lot about amnesia and memory stuff," Anna cringed at her own ineloquence, "But I promise to help in any way I can."

"Thank you, Anna." Elsa rested her head on the woman's shoulder, curling into her side. Anna thought she was going to have a heart attack. Elsa smelled of crisp mint and sweet honeysuckle…

"D-Don't mention it!" she squeaked, trying to remain still so she didn't alert Elsa of how much she was inwardly freaking out. "I lost my parents too, so I, uh, I know what it's like. Minus the whole memory loss thing..." The thought of her parents' death sobered her a little bit, but her heart was still pounding in her chest. _I hope Elsa can't hear it._

Anna felt the grip on her arm tighten ever so slightly. "I'm sorry." Came the soft reply.

The mood had somehow become an odd mixture of melancholy and intimacy. "H-Hey! You know what we need?" Anna suddenly exclaimed, "Ice cream!"

Elsa pulled away to look at her with an amused smile. "Ice cream?" she parroted.

Anna nodded and jumped up from the couch. "Yep! And it just so happens that I have THE best flavor in the whole entire universe!"

Elsa chuckled and allowed Anna to lead her into the kitchen where the redhead opened the freezer and took out a carton. She handed it to Elsa while she dug around in the silverware drawer for two spoons.

"_'Ultra Sprinkle Fudge Cookie Brownie Quadruple Chocolate Chip Explosion'_?" Elsa read the flavor aloud, her tone a mixture of awe and bewilderment. "They should've just named it 'Heart Attack', it would've been more efficient to print."

Anna giggled, handing Elsa a spoon. "Trust me, it's nothing but pure chocolatey goodness!"

The blonde just smiled with a playful roll of her eyes and took the spoon, scooping up a bit of the frozen treat and taking a bite.

Blue eyes lit up with glee and a hum of pleasure rumbled in her chest. "Mmm…"

Anna's heart stopped at the sound. _Oh my god, was that a moan? Oh sweet cheese and crackers!_

Anna vowed then and there to always keep the freezer stocked with that ice cream. And to always be around whenever Elsa was eating it.

"I stand corrected," Elsa finally declared, a bit of chocolate fudge at the corner of her mouth, she waved the spoon around like some kind of royal scepter, "This is indeed the greatest frozen confection in the whole entire universe!"

Anna giggled at how adorable she looked. "You've got some fudge on your lip, miss ice cream connoisseur."

Elsa's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I do? How embarrassing…" she grabbed a paper towel and wiped furiously at the wrong side. Anna would've rolled her eyes if it wasn't so darn cute.

"Here, silly." Anna took the paper towel from her and carefully swept the chocolate away, her other hand cupping Elsa's chin to hold her still._ Wow, I've never been this close to her before. Are those little freckles? How cute!_ Her brushes slowed and softened into caresses. Finally she stopped movement all together. _She really is beautiful…_Anna struggled to tear her gaze away from those soft pink lips.

She glanced up into intense blue eyes that were watching her every move, studying, discerning. Once again, her stare was drawn back down to those supple rosy lips. The air seemed to grow thicker, her breathing increasing along with her heart rate. Anna swallowed nervously. _I…really want to kiss her._

"Anna?"

The redhead sputtered and a nearly fell over. "A-All done! Yep! No more chocolate, nuh uh, no siree! Whistle as a clean—I mean clean as a whistle! Totally super-duper clean! One hundred percent non-fudge!" she trailed off with nervous laughter. _What on earth is wrong with you? You're supposed to be guarding her, not assaulting her! Get a freaking grip woman!_

At least Elsa wasn't totally freaked out. As a matter of fact, it was as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all. She went on obliviously eating ice cream and making conversation until they both yawned.

"I think it's time for bed," Elsa stated, rubbing at her eyes, "After all, you have to go to the agency in the morning."

Anna nodded, stifling another yawn. "Yeah, you're right," she placed the spoons in the dishwasher and returned the ice cream carton to the freezer. She stretched her arms over her head. "Goodnight, Elsa. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

She started for the couch, but was stopped by slender fingers gently encircling her wrist. "Anna, I really don't think it's necessary for you to sleep on the couch. This is your home, you deserve to sleep in your own bed."

Anna quickly shook her head. "I'm fine, really. You're my guest, so you get the bed."

The blonde seemed a bit troubled by that answer. "I still don't feel right about it. I honestly wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch, Anna. You need a proper rest."

"Like I said before, I'm fine sleeping on the couch." Anna assured her tiredly.

"How about we share the bed?" Elsa suggested, much to Anna's dread, "The bed's more than large enough for us both, and I assure you that I don't move in my sleep too much."

Red flags were going up all over the place in Anna's head. Even she could tell it was a very bad idea to sleep in the same bed as someone you almost kissed the life out of. "I, uh, I don't think that's such a good idea…"

Elsa pouted, a tiny little frown adorning her lips. "Why not? What's so terrible about the idea of sharing a bed with me?"

_Is she pouting? My god, that's so freaking cute!_ Anna was practically mesmerized by the almighty power of the 'Elsa pout'. But suddenly the blonde's words hit her like a ton of bricks. Even though Elsa's intent was totally innocent, her word choice could be horribly misinterpreted. _Ugh! Get your mind out of the gutter!_

In the end, Anna gave in to the blonde's request. She settled herself under the covers as far away from Elsa as possible, almost to the point of falling off the bed. She spent over an hour willing her heart to slow down and her breathing to normalize. The thought of Elsa in her bed, mere centimeters away from her, was giving her serious palpitations.

_I may develop a heart condition from all this._ That was her last thought before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**What's this? A speedy update? Oh me oh my! lol I hope you all enjoyed this installment. The next one will feature a change of scenery as we follow Anna back to The Guardians agency. Hmm...I wonder what Flynn needs her for? (jk I already know, and I think you guys are going to like it!)**


	5. Chapter 5

When Anna awoke, the bed was empty. She felt relieved yet strangely saddened that Elsa had gotten up without her. Sighing, she checked the time, 5:30, and rolled out of bed.

She quickly went through the process of getting ready. She brushed out her crazy bedhead, washed her face and put on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. She would always change into her agent uniform at the base to avoid suspicion from her neighbors.

Elsa was waiting for her in the kitchen with a smile and a cup of coffee. The domesticity of this act made Anna feel all warm and giddy on the inside. _It's almost as if we really are getting married…_Anna blushed behind her coffee mug as she took a hearty gulp. She paused for a moment.

"How did you know I liked my coffee with lots of cream and sugar?" Anna suddenly asked.

Elsa just giggled, pouring herself a cup of herbal tea. The calming scent of chamomile rose from the steaming liquid. "After seeing your favorite flavor of ice cream, I assumed you had a bit of a sweet tooth." She calmly took a sip from her tea, the action capturing Anna's attention. _She is so graceful in everything she does…like royalty or something._

"Would you like me to make you some toast before you go?" Elsa asked.

Anna shook her head and smiled. "No, I'll be fine. They usually have breakfast available down at the agency."

The blonde nodded, taking another sip. "Do you have a busy day today?" she asked with an air of nonchalance. But Anna briefly glimpsed concern in those blue eyes watching her from across the counter.

"I honestly don't know if I'll have any missions today, Flynn just said that he needed me to come in," she glanced at the clock, downing the rest of her coffee and moving to place the empty mug in the dishwasher, "I should be going now."

Elsa nodded, placing her tea cup down and following her to the front door. She picked a jacket off the coat rack and helped Anna into it. "Will you be back in time for dinner?" she asked.

Anna turned around and gave her another smile. "Of course. And remember, if you ever need anything at all, even if it's just a quick question or you're feeling lonely, I will always answer my phone. Always, no matter what happens, okay?"

Elsa smiled, her blue eyes practically glowing with warmth. "Okay." A brief pause passed between them where they just stood there, staring at each other. Almost as if they were waiting for something.

Finally Elsa released a nervous giggle and stepped forward, giving Anna a soft peck on the cheek. "Stay safe. I'll see you when you get home." She murmured gently as she pulled away.

Anna's face felt so hot that she could've sworn steam was shooting out of her ears. Her heart had simultaneously stopped and hit warp speed, robbing her lungs of functionality. She somehow stammered out an affirmation before she practically tripped over herself on the way to her car.

Behind the wheel, she finally exhaled. _Ohmygodohmygod—she just kissed me! Holy cheese! I mean, that happened, right? I wasn't hallucinating, right?_ She took a few calming breaths as she started the car. She put the convertible top down, hoping it would help her face cool down. _Okay, Anna, relax. She probably didn't mean anything by it. Friends kiss each other on the cheeks all the time…_

After nearly crashing into a mailbox, running three red lights, and almost mowing over a cabbage stand, Anna pulled into her parking space at _The Corona. _To say that she was distracted would be a dire understatement. The scene from that morning wouldn't stop replaying over and over in her mind's eye.

"Okay, Anna," she told herself as she pressed the sun panel on the back wall, "You need to focus. No more spacing out."

When the elevator stopped on her floor, she strode to her office with a newfound determination to get her head in the game. She wouldn't let a tiny incident shake her resolve.

When she strode into her office, however, she realized that she was not alone. She quickly found that the room had another occupant. A familiar one.

"Belle? What are you doing here?" Anna questioned in surprise. She quickly checked the hallways before closing the door. "You realize that this is a restricted area, right? If they catch you in here without authorization, we'll both be in trouble."

Belle, who had been leisurely reading a thick book, glanced up at her. She sighed and took off her reading glasses.

"Good morning to you as well, Anna." She deadpanned, closing the book and placing it on the mahogany desk. Anna glanced at the title. _'Cognitive Computational Neuroscience'…Yeesh._

"Is that for one of your classes?" Anna asked sympathetically, pointing at the brick-like book.

Belle giggled. "Why no, it's just for leisure. The subject captured my interest, so I decided to engage in a bit of light research."

Anna grimaced. "Right." _I'm scared to ask what she considers heavy research._

A knock at the door caused the redhead to jump. "Oh no! You have to go, or hide, or something!" she was filled with worry. Anna had never broken any of the major rules, and harboring an unauthorized person was a big no-no.

Before either of them could move, however, the door was opened.

"Good morning!" Flynn greeted as he poked his head in. He stopped as soon as he saw the look of horror on Anna's face.

"Look Flynn, I can explain…you see I, uh, there was…this thing, and…" Anna trailed off nervously.

He gave her confused look before his eyes fell upon Belle, who was sitting in Anna's chair. He smiled at the brunette. "Good morning, Ms. Du Franc."

Belle gave a polite nod. "And to you as well, Mr. Ryder."

The redhead's jaw dropped open. "Wait, what?" she was stunned as she looked back and forth between them. "I don't understand why you're not freaking out, Flynn. Is she a client or something?"

The man shook his head and grinned. "Not a client, but an intern."

"Intern?" Anna repeated, dumbstruck.

Belle stood up, revealing a lanyard with a security clearance card hanging around her neck. _She's already got Level 2 clearance?! It took me seven months to get that! _"Yes," Belle said, "I was so impressed by the fundamentals of your organization that I made inquiries about offering my expertise. An internship was the ideal solution, seeing as I still wish to engage in other academic pursuits."

"In other words," Flynn stated excitedly, "She going to be helping us out. I've chosen you to be her mentor here, seeing as you know her more than everyone else."

Anna's brow was thoroughly furrowed by this point. "I still don't understand. You want me to train her to be an agent?"

"No," Belle quickly stated, "I'm afraid physical endeavors aren't my strong suit. Mr. Ryder has deemed it best that I work in Communications."

The Communications division acted as a link to agents out in the field, relaying data and other information from the base of operations while they were out on a mission. It was a very important division; behind every good agent was an even better communications specialist, and vice versa. The two divisions were so co-dependent on each other they even combined their workspaces for efficiency.

"Yep!" Flynn said with a cheery grin, "She's going to be your new Comm. Specialist!"

Anna didn't know whether to groan or be happy. Belle seemed like a nice girl, and VERY smart…and Anna did need a new Comm. Specialist after her last one went away on maternity leave… "Okay, so do you want me to show her the ropes?" she finally asked, resigning herself to the idea.

Flynn nodded. "Just a brief tour will do. When you're done with that, I have an assignment for you."

"Right," Anna gave an affirmative nod, "Let's go then."

Belle followed her out of the room, trying to keep up with her brisk pace. "I hope my presence here does not cause you any undue emotional stress," the brunette said as they made their way down the hall, "I will try to be as productive as possible. I really admired the way you conducted yourself when you saved me, and I just…I wished to be a part of it."

Anna felt like a terrible person for internally griping over Belle joining their cause. The little brunette seemed to look up to her, wanting to help her in whatever way she could. Anna had to make it up to her. She had to be the best mentor ever.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Anna said with a bright smile, "I actually needed an assistant anyway. I think you'll do a great job."

The way Belle's eyes lit up at her words made Anna feel like she was the cool older sister that everyone aspired to be like. _Idol status achieved!_

They stopped when they reached the room at the end of the hall. "This is the agent break room." Anna supplied, "Everyone comes here to decompress or eat, or watch T.V…. there's a bathroom and an elevator right next door."

Belle nodded, casting her eyes over the room in appraisal.

"'Ey Lass!" a feminine brogue called out, "I 'eard that yeh 'ad a special assignment, eh?"

They both turned to see a woman approaching them with hair as red as a fire truck and as wild as the fire itself. She was wearing the standard issue agent uniform: formfitting black pants, bullet vest, t-shirt, black leather jacket, boots, and special utility belt. Each agent customized their attire a bit to suit their style. The woman had foregone the jacket in favor of a pair of black leather bracers. Anna suddenly remembered she was still in civilian clothes. _I'll have to change later._

"Belle, I'd like you to meet Agent Merida." Anna introduced, "Merida, this is my new Comm. Specialist, Belle."

The wild haired redhead looked the girl up and down, her eyes squinting as she appraised her. "Don't she look a wee young to yeh?" she commented critically, "The lass can't be a day over fifteen."

Belle frowned and her nose scrunched up cutely. "I am seventeen and I'll have you know that I am not a child, despite my appearance. I have several PhDs in both technological and scientific fields of study. I speak over seventeen languages, not including computer code, and I am heiress to one of the biggest conglomerates in the world." She placed a defiant hand on her hip. "I believe I am more than qualified for the job."

Merida blinked in surprise at the brunette's little temper tantrum. Then she burst out laughing, doubling over and clutching at her sides as she cackled away.

Belle seemed both shocked and appalled, while Anna watched on with a knowing smile. Merida only laughed in front of people she trusted. Otherwise, she was all 'game face'.

"Oh dear, I like this one," Merida breathed, wiping the corner of her eyes, "She's feisty!"

Belle seemed a bit befuddled at this point so Anna just patted her on the shoulder and offered her a smile of approval.

Soon another woman joined them in the break room. This woman was dressed in an agent uniform as well, though she customized her attire by wrapping a green and gold scarf with white lotus embroidery around her neck. She had an exotic face and long dark hair. Anna had also noticed that she always had impeccable posture.

"Greetings," the woman acknowledged with a cordial dip of her head. "I see we have a new face present."

She regarded Belle with a kind smile. The brunette smiled back a bit shyly in response.

"My name is Mulan," the dark haired woman introduced herself, "I am an agent alongside these two. It is my pleasure to welcome you as our comrade."

Anna giggled to herself. Mulan could speak a bit oddly at times, but that was part of her charm. Belle didn't seem bothered in the least.

"The pleasure is all mine." The brunette replied with a wide smile, "I'm going to be joining the Communications division. My name is Belle."

"Belle…"Mulan tested the name out, she smiled and nodded, "I believe such a lovely name is fitting for such a beautiful face. Though, I am certain that you are much more than that. Your eyes reflect an intelligent mind."

Anna raised an eyebrow. _Was Mulan actually flirting?_ She shook her head. No, Mulan was always unknowingly charming. She was what most people would call 'romantically oblivious'.

Belle smiled at her, a little pink in the cheeks. "I have much to learn, I'm sure."

Before Mulan could say anything else, Anna took Belle's wrist and was pulling her towards the elevator. "We'd love to stay and chat, but we've got a tour to finish."

"Of course," Mulan said with a polite nod, "I will not delay you any further, then."

"Make sure yeh tell me all about tha' little secret mission yeh got when yeh get back, alright?" Merida called from the couch. She was watching an archery tournament and frowning at the screen, muttering something about 'poor form'.

Anna didn't respond as the elevator doors closed. Her cheeks flushed pink as she thought about discussing Elsa with the other redhead. _Or anyone, really._

Belle curiously took note of her embarrassment.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concern etched into her youthful features, "You seem a bit flushed."

This only made Anna blush more. "O-Oh? Uh, it's nothing. I'm fine! See?" she made a goofy face for emphasis.

Belle didn't seem to be buying it, unfortunately. "There seems to be something you are not telling me." She stated frankly, "However, I respect the fact that you are entitled to your privacy, therefore, I will not press the matter."

After a pause, Belle continued, "Though I do wish you would place more trust in my discretion." She told her with a frown, "We are a team, are we not? I believe that warrants the disclosure of personal agendas and other relevant information."

Anna just stared at her blankly, only having understood part of what the young genius said. That was enough, though, for her to know that Belle wanted Anna to trust her more. Not being one to make people sad or disappointed, Anna decided to divulge a little bit. _After all, we are going to be a team. Maybe a little sharing won't hurt…_

"Well, I happen to be…uh, guarding someone at my house right now." Anna said, trying to be as vague as possible, "But I haven't been told why this person needs protection, or who this person even is, really." It kind of hurt to admit that last part, because Anna so badly wanted to know everything about Elsa.

Belle took in this information, a thoughtful look on her face. "I'm afraid I don't see where the conflict lies. Has this person done anything suspicious in nature?"

Anna quickly shook her head. "No, no. She's been nothing short of wonderful!"

"_'She'_?" Belle intoned.

_Oh, fudge!_

Anna inwardly cursed her slip, but continued on. "I just wish that I could have more information on who she is." Then she quickly added, "For security reasons."

Belle didn't seem to buy that, but didn't call her out on it either. "Right." A thoughtful pause. "Well, I suppose I could assist you on this matter."

Anna's eyebrows shot up in surprise. The elevator dinged as they reached the next floor.

"How are you going to do that?" she asked as they both stepped out. "Flynn's got everything all confidential and classified."

Belle gave her a look of exasperation. "In case you've forgotten, I am highly proficient with various technologies. Bypassing your measly security encryptions should be child's play."

"So," Anna grinned, excitement shining in her eyes, "You're like a super-hacker?"

Belle rolled her eyes, a reluctant smile ghosting her lips. "Yes, Anna. I am a 'super-hacker'."

"Cool!"

They finally reached their next destination on their tour, the Data Evaluation Center. Or as everyone else called it, 'Damage Control'. It was a large room with several floating holographic monitors on display, each one having a person typing away on them.

A blonde woman wearing a headset came to greet them. She was dressed in the DEC uniform, which merely consisted of a nice pantsuit.

"No," she spoke into the headset, "I know what the reports say, I'm asking you to change the cause to a mechanical failure. It's not that complicated, I could do it in my sleep!"

Anna and Belle both glanced at each other quizzically before turning back to the woman.

"Just send it to me, Diaval," the woman sighed, "I'll take care of it. Just make sure you get me the Ironring report later, alright?"

She hit a button on her headset before smiling at them. "Hello, Anna, how are you?" she greeted kindly. "I heard you had a little mishap with that warehouse mission. Something about a fire that got out of hand?" the tone was slightly accusatory, but overall quite gentle. Like a mother chiding a small child.

Anna grinned sheepishly. "Uh, yeah, something like that," she hedged, "Anyway, I was just showing my new Comm. Specialist around."

Belle stepped forward and offered her hand. "My name is Belle, it is nice to meet you."

The blonde woman raised an amused eyebrow. "The same Belle from the warehouse incident, I presume?" she stated with a knowing smile, "Welcome to the team, Ms. Du Franc. I am Aurora, the Head of the Data Evaluation Center. Our job is to correct any 'inconsistencies' in the public eye. We may be able to use someone of your talents here, so don't be surprised if I ask to borrow you at times."

Belle nodded. "I will do what I can to assist."

Aurora offered them both a warm smile. "Once again, welcome to the team."

_KABOOOM!_

The ground beneath them suddenly shook as the sound of an explosion echoed beneath the floor. Aurora frowned. "Another failure, it seems…" She stated with a helpless sigh. "I really need a nap…"

Belle seemed a bit unnerved by the event. "What in the world was that?"

Anna grinned. "It's probably best if I just showed you," she said, "To the elevator!" she declared with a wave of her arm.

Belle followed, a bit skeptical.

One floor down led them to the largest room yet. It was practically the size of a small warehouse, with walls that were lined with impregnable titanium. Various machinery, chemistry workstations, and other things filled the space. A small pillar of smoke was rising from the corner, most likely where the explosion had occurred.

Anna and Belle approached the scene. Whatever had exploded was completely unrecognizable, nothing more than a pile of smoking black goo on the floor.

"Quite the discovery!" a voice startled them both from behind.

They turned to see a short sandy-blonde woman dressed in safety goggles and a lab coat. Her front was covered in smears of black soot and her hair was stuck in a crazy blown back position. She was quite comical looking, really. Almost like a cartoon character.

"Ah yes," the short woman said, "I believe this is the best failure yet!"

She strode forward to examine the sludgy remains left behind, seemingly oblivious to the two visitors she had. "The viscosity remains intact after combustion," she murmured in astonishment, "Curiouser and curiouser…"

"What were you trying to make this time?" Anna asked.

The woman's head shot up, as if she'd just noticed that there were other people in the room. "Hello friends!" she greeted enthusiastically, "I was just trying to create a bulletproof jam! For all your protective toast needs!"

Belle raised an incredulous eyebrow. "That seems a bit…unorthodox."

The woman just shrugged. "I find that only the best things in this world are."

"Anyway," Anna cut in, "Belle's new, so I was giving her a brief tour."

The blonde nodded sagely. "Ah yes, very good. I am Alice," she spread her arms out, "Welcome to my Wonderland."

"This is the Lab. Everything research related goes through here." Anna supplied, "Alice is in charge of this place."

"I see." Belle acknowledged, looking around at a few things. "It is…interesting, to say the least."

"Why, thank you!" Alice said with a smile, typing something out on a holographic tablet. She began to mumble things as her eyes skimmed over the variables on the screen.

"Well, that's the last stop on our tour," Anna stated, "There's more, but your clearance only allows this much."

"Fair enough." Belle replied as she followed the redhead back to the elevator. She turned back as they entered.

"Oh, and Alice?" the young brunette called, "Have you tried equalizing the hydrogen with another element in order to reduce its reactivity? That may provide enough structural stability to prevent volatile combustion."

The blonde paused in thought, a maniacal smile slowly spreading across her face. "Why that's…positively brilliant!"

The elevator doors slid closed. Belle smirked proudly. "I never produce anything less."

Anna chortled, which caused the young genius to frown. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing," Anna fought off her chuckles, "Just the fact that you're so proud of helping invent bulletproof jam."

Belle frowned, her nose crinkling. "Well, it may be useful someday!" she defended.

Anna's giggling increased. "I'm sure toast everywhere will thank you."

Belle huffed and folded her arms over her chest. She pouted the whole way back to the office.

* * *

**Belle's back!  
**

**So how's everyone doing? The fall semester has started, which means I'll be spending a bunch of time at the campus library (fun fact: I'm there right now as I'm typing this, teehee! No one suspects a thing! Mwahahahaha!). Hopefully, this also means I'll have a bit more time to work on this along with ATW. **

**Up Next: We take a look at how Elsa's day is going!**


End file.
